Call of Duty: World at War

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the fifth installment in the Call of Duty series. For the
Nintendo DS version of the game, see Call of Duty: World at War (Nintendo DS). For
the PlayStation 2 version of the game, see Call of Duty: World at War Final
Fronts.
Call of Duty: World at War
Call of Duty World at War cover.png
Developer(s) Treyarch
Publisher(s) Activision
Director(s) Cesar Stastny
Producer(s)
Daniel Bunting
Marwan A. Abderrazzaq
John M. DeHart
Designer(s)
Jeremy Luyties
Jesse Synder
Artist(s)
Colin Whitney
Brian Anderson
Writer(s)
Craig Houston
Patrick Doody
Chris Valenziano
Composer(s) Sean Murray
Series Call of Duty
Engine IW engine
Platform(s)
Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 3
Xbox 360
Wii
Release
NA: November 11, 2008[2]
AU: November 12, 2008[1]
EU: November 14, 2008[3]
Genre(s) First-person shooter
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
Call of Duty: World at War is a 2008 first-person shooter video game developed by
Treyarch and published by Activision for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii, and
Xbox 360. The game is the fifth mainstream game of the Call of Duty series and
returns the setting to World War II for the last time until Call of Duty: WWII
almost nine years later. The game is also the first title in the Black Ops story
line. The game was released in North America on November 11, 2008, and in Europe on
November 14, 2008. A Windows Mobile version was also made available by Glu Mobile
and different storyline versions for the Nintendo DS and PlayStation 2 were also
produced, but remain in the World War II setting. The game is based on an enhanced
version of the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare game engine developed by Infinity
Ward with increased development on audio and visual effects.

The narrative for the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 versions
focuses on the Pacific Theater and Eastern Front theaters of World War II,
involving the United States, the Empire of Japan, the Soviet Union, and Nazi
Germany. It is told from the perspectives of Marine Raider Private C. Miller, US
Navy Petty Officer Locke and Red Army soldier Private Dimitri Petrenko, and is
based on several historical battles. The multiplayer component of the game contains
various game modes and a leveling system that allows the player to unlock
additional weapons and rewards as they progress, similar to Call of Duty 4.
Vehicles, in the form of tanks, that players can control appear on certain
multiplayer maps . The game also contains downloadable content called "map packs",
which can be purchased online. A new feature to the series was the addition of a
cooperative mode, which supports up to two players locally and four players online.

In 2010, a sequel, Call of Duty: Black Ops was released. Two other sequels
followed: Call of Duty: Black Ops II in 2012 and Call of Duty: Black Ops III in
2015.

On September 27, 2016, the Xbox 360 version of World at War became backwards
compatible on the Xbox One.[4]

Contents [hide]
1 Gameplay
1.1 Overview
1.2 Multiplayer
2 Synopsis
2.1 Characters
2.2 Plot
3 Development
3.1 Audio
4 Marketing
4.1 Downloadable content
5 Other versions
5.1 Nintendo DS
5.2 PlayStation 2
5.3 iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad versions
5.4 Windows Mobile version
6 Reception
6.1 Critical response
6.2 Sales
7 References
8 External links
Gameplay[edit]
Overview[edit]
World at War is a game in the Call of Duty series,[5] and features a more mature
theme than its previous installments.[6] The game is also open-ended, giving the
player multiple ways to complete objectives.[7] The gameplay of World at War shares
several features with previous iterations of the franchise. Players fight alongside
AI-controlled teammates. They help during the game's missions by providing cover
fire, shooting down enemies, and clearing rooms for entry.[8]

When playing the Wii version of the game, instead of using a normal controller,
such as the ones used by the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, an optional gun-like
expansion controller known as the Wii Zapper can be used. The Zapper, or Wii Remote
and Nunchuk, can be used to aim at targets to fire at them and simulate
marksmanship.[9]

The game's return to World War II-era warfare reintroduces weapons and technology.
The player gains access to these over the course of the game, but may only carry up
to two weapons in addition to hand grenades. Weapons and ammo from fallen foes or
friendlies can be picked up to replace weapons in a player's arsenal. Players can
also find weapons with additional attachments, including guns equipped with rifle
grenades, telescopic sights, and bayonets.[8]

A character can be positioned in one of three stances: standing, crouching, or

prone; each affecting the character's rate of movement, accuracy, and stealth.
Using cover helps the player avoid enemy fire or recover health after taking
significant damage, as there are no armor or health powerups. When the character
has taken damage, the edges of the screen glow red and the character's heartbeat
increases. If the character stays out of fire, the character can recover. When the
character is within the blast radius of a live grenade, a marker indicates the
direction of the grenade, helping the player in deciding whether to flee or throw
it back at the enemy.[8]

The single-player campaign includes thirteen hidden "death cards", denoted by

playing cards attached to makeshift war graves. There is one in each level (barring
those that take place in vehicles); collecting them unlocks cheats for Co-op mode,
such as reduced enemy endurance and "paintball mode".[10]

Multiplayer[edit]
World at War includes a similar multiplayer experience to that which was
established in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. All versions of the game use a
similar perk and ranking system[11] and feature six different multiplayer modes,
including team deathmatch and capture the flag.[12] There are a group of three
"killstreak rewards" that can be used to turn the tide of battle. The killstreak
rewards include a recon plane, showing opposing players on the mini-map, an
artillery strike upon an area, and attack dogs, which spawn and attack opposing
players, which come with 3, 5, and 7 kills, respectively. They are available in all
game modes, apart from team survival, and cannot be edited.

Gameplay in online multiplayer's War mode

The game also features a cooperative gameplay mode with up to two players via split
screen on consoles, or four players online, for the first time in the franchise.
The Wii version of the game does not include online co-op, but two players can play
through a "squadmate co-op" mode which allows both players to experience the game
through the same screen and point of view.[11]

All versions except the Wii feature the minigame Nazi Zombies, which consists of 1-
4 players fighting an unlimited number of waves of Nazi zombies. Players can work
together with other people to assassinate the zombies in a "co-op" (cooperative)
mode either offline with two players or online with 2-4 players. The players gain
points by injuring or killing the zombies or repairing boarded-up windows, which
are used to remove blockages inside the bunker and to gain access to more useful
weapons than the starting M1911 pistol and unlock more rooms. Zombies continually
break the windows to gain entrance and to find and beat the players; when all
players are damaged enough to fall, the game is over.[13] Three extra maps for the
Nazi Zombie game mode were added with the World at War map packs. These maps, Shi
No Numa, Zombie Verrckt and Der Riese added on to the Nacht Der Untoten map which
came with the game.

Synopsis[edit]
Characters[edit]
During the single-player campaign, the player controls three different characters
from a first-person perspective. The player first assumes the role of Private C.
Miller of the United States Marine Corps' 1st Marine Division in the Pacific
campaign. He is captured by the Japanese, but is rescued by Corporal Roebuck
(voiced by Kiefer Sutherland) and his men from the Marine Raiders squad, during the
Makin Island raid. Other notable non-playable characters of the Marine Raiders unit
include Sergeant Tom Sullivan (voiced by Chris Fries) and Private Polonsky (voiced
by Aaron Stanford).[14] Private Dimitri Petrenko, the second playable character,
fights on the Eastern Front with Sergeant Viktor Reznov (voiced by Gary Oldman).
They are joined by a third character, Private Chernov, Reznov's subordinate, who
serves as a voice of reason throughout the campaign and regularly voices shock and
disapproval at the brutal slaughter he witnesses. They are all soldiers in the 3rd
Shock Army under the command of Commissar Markhov.[14] The third playable character
in the campaign is Petty Officer Locke, a weapons operator on a PBY Catalina flying
boat, who is only playable in the mission "Black Cats" during a solo campaign.[14]

Plot[edit]

The opening scene of the campaign

The story begins on Makin Island on August 17, 1942. American Marine Private C.
Miller watches the torture and execution of his team, and is about to be executed
himself before being rescued by another squad of Marines, led by Corporal Roebuck
and Sergeant Tom Sullivan. They assault the Japanese on the island, replicating the
Makin Island raid. The Battle of Peleliu is then replicated. After breaking through
the Japanese lines on the Peleliu beach, Miller destroys two Type 97 Chi-Ha tanks
with rocket strikes, allowing the American tanks to advance. At the end of the
mission, Sullivan is killed by a Japanese officer with a katana. Roebuck is
promoted to Sergeant and he and his squad make their way through the Peleliu swamps
to launch an assault on a Japanese-held airfield to disable anti-aircraft guns.
During the assault, Miller acquires a flamethrower to destroy a bunker and a
bazooka to blow up the Chi-Has positioned at the airfield.[14]

Meanwhile, the Battle of Stalingrad is held on the Eastern Front on September 17,
1942. Russian Private Dimitri Petrenko regains consciousness in a blood-stained and
body-filled fountain, just as German troops execute his comrades. When they leave,
Dimitri meets injured Sergeant Viktor Reznov, another survivor, who tells him of
his mission to kill German general Heinrich Amsel, who is responsible for the
massacres. After killing German soldiers in their way and dueling an enemy sniper,
Dimitri follows Reznov through buildings and streets and they meet up with the
remainder of Dimitri's unit, who are about to assault the General's communication
post. During the assault, Dimitri provides overwatch with Reznov and aids the
remaining Red Army soldiers as they recapture the post, managing to kill Amsel as
he flees. Dimitri and Reznov jump into the Volga River and escape. The next mission
takes place three years later, during the Battle of the Seelow Heights, near
Berlin. Dimitri has been captured by German soldiers in an abandoned house, but is
saved when the Red Army attacks the house; he is re-united with Reznov and
introduced to his right-hand-man Pvt. Chernov. The Soviet troops advance through
German lines and Dimitri aids them with a Panzerschreck until they reach and wipe
out a German camp.[14]

The story then shifts back to the Pacific Theater. After pushing further inland on
Peleliu, Miller and his unit take out enemy mortar crews so their tanks can go
inland. They then proceed through the Japanese underground tunnels to attack the
artillery-filled Point, one of the major Japanese strongholds that had destroyed
many landing boats when they first landed. This allows American ships to advance,
and Peleliu finally falls into American hands.[14]

A firefight in the streets of Berlin

Back in Eastern Europe, Dimitri and Reznov pilot T-34 tanks pushing through German
lines so the Soviet troops can board a train to Berlin. Upon arrival, they engage
German soldiers on the outskirts of Berlin, commencing the Battle of Berlin. They
then advance through the streets, eventually reaching the entrance to the Berlin U-
Bahn, where three German soldiers are attempting to surrender. Reznov is unwilling
to deny his men their revenge and gives Dimitri the choice of shooting them or
burning them alive with molotov cocktails. They head into the U-Bahn and start
fighting German soldiers around the platforms, until a surge of water fills the
tunnel and Dimitri, unable to avoid the oncoming tidal wave, almost drowns.[14]

After America gains Peleliu, the Battle of Okinawa occurs on the Pacific, where
Petty Officer Locke, in a PBY Catalina flying boat, takes part in a raid on three
merchant ships. On their way back to base, another Catalina, codenamed Hammerhead,
is destroyed by Japanese Zeroes, leaving Locke and his crew alone. The US fleet is
assaulted, replicating Operation Ten-Go. Locke's PBY, the only PBY near enough to
come to immediate aid, works to rescue as many American sailors as possible by
fighting off Japanese PT boats and kamikaze planes. With the PBY almost completely
destroyed, more US aircraft arrive and drive off the remaining Zeroes. In the
following mission, Miller's squad makes a ground assault on Okinawa, clearing out
the Japanese from machine gun bunkers to allow American tanks to progress. With the
battle almost won, the Americans storm Shuri Castle amidst mortar shelling and
massive banzai charges. Once inside, they encounter Japanese soldiers surrendering.
However, when Roebuck and Polonsky go to search them, they reveal concealed
grenades under their clothes, at which point Miller is presented with the choice of
saving either Roebuck or Polonsky. The remaining American troops arrive to assist
the squad and engage the remaining Japanese soldiers in a battle in the castle
center. After Miller calls in air strikes on two buildings, the Americans take
Shuri Castle, crushing the last bastion of Japanese resistance on Okinawa.[14]

Meanwhile, Reznov drags Dimitri out of the U-Bahn to regroup with Soviet infantry.
The Red Army then advances towards the Reichstag. During the assault at the
Reichstag's entrance, Chernov is severely burned by a flamethrower, and is implied
to be killed. Reznov, Dimitri and the remaining Soviet soldiers enter the
Reichstag, clear it of its German defenders, and reach the rooftop. After a final
showdown on the top floor to reach the Nazi flag, Dimitri is shot by a dying German
soldier in an attempt to stop him from planting the Soviet flag, whom Reznov kills
with a machete. Although wounded, Dimitri manages to plant the Soviet flag,
signaling Soviet victory and ending the war in Europe.[14]

Development[edit]
World at War was announced on June 23, 2008 by Activision, who confirmed that the
game was to be released in fall 2008, and that the series would revert to its
customary World War II setting.[15] The game had an approximately two-year-long
development cycle, double that of Treyarch's previous entry to the series, Call of
Duty 3.[6] The game is powered by an enhanced version of the Call of Duty 4: Modern
Warfare engine, with several improvements made to the physics model. Environments
are more destructible and can be set on fire with the flamethrower, which features
propagating fire. Dismemberment, as well as realistic skin and clothes burning of
the characters were added.[16]

Not long after, Treyarch released the modding tools for Call of Duty: World at War.
These tools were the same ones used to create all the other Call of Duty series
games, but with slight changes version to version, which can be downloaded online.
[6] Kiefer Sutherland and Gary Oldman were cast as voice actors for the game.
Sutherland voices the narrator and squad leader of the American campaign, Sergeant
Roebuck, while Oldman voices that of the Soviet campaign, Sergeant Reznov.[17][18]
A full-sized replica PBY Catalina was constructed for motion capture use.[6]

Full-sized replica PBY Catalina in a motion capture studio.

Audio[edit]
The music for Call of Duty: World at War was composed by Sean Murray. He was hired
after Brian Tuey, Treyarch's audio director, approached Murray. Murray stated that
they had worked together earlier on True Crime: New York City, the sequel to the
first True Crime: Streets of LA, and that "he [Tuey] knew I would bring a fresh
approach to Call of Duty: World at War". This also led to Adam Levenson, the audio
director of Activision, being called in to help them. Murray also said that he
wanted to make the music more fun and intense, but also "a specific musical path
that follows the psyche of the gameplay".[19]

The new technology of occlusion, which changes the sound made by nearby object
depending on objects blocking its path e.g. walls, has been added to World at War.
The game has various levels of "muffled" sound depending on the objects it travels
though e.g. a more muffled sound through a thick wall compared to a slightly
muffled sound through a thin short wall. For the first time in a Call of Duty game,
the player is able to tell the difference between someone walking next to the
player and someone walking above or below the player, as well as telling the
difference between a shot fired in the distance and a shot fired close by, but
behind a solid object.[20]

The other technology of Flux was also developed using field recording systems. The
World at War crew traveled to a desert with mountains on both side of the range to
test the frequencies of sounds made by World War II weapons. Microphones were
placed 60 yards (55 m) behind and 60 yards in front of the gun to test the echoes.
This was later replicated and developed in the studio for the game software. It
means that players will be able to pinpoint a sniper rifle shot, as it reflects off
them, as well as hearing the initial 'pop' of a hand grenade blowing up and then
the grenade's loud "whoosh" sound that begins where the grenade blew up, and ends
behind the player. The flux system also combines with the occlusion system.[20]

Marketing[edit]
The first trailer for the game premiered on Xbox Live on June 21, 2008,[21] and
arrived on PlayStation Network five days later.[22] A beta of the game's online
multiplayer mode was released for the Xbox 360 on October 10, 2008.[23] A PC
version of the beta was later released on October 28, 2008.[24] Those who pre-
ordered the game at GameStop, Game and EB Games in Australia or North America or
who are members of the Call of Duty official website were given codes which allowed
them to download both beta versions of the game.[25] Coinciding with the release of
the game, McFarlane Toys produced four action figures. Three are different
varieties of US Marine Corps infantry, and the fourth is a British Special Ops
soldier.[26]

A collector's edition of World at War was released on November 11, 2008 in North
America and November 14, 2008 in Europe.[27] It includes several bonus items, among
them a stainless steel canteen imprinted with the Call of Duty series logo and a
metal storage tin. The collector's edition also gives the player access to an
unlockable weapon and the opportunity to earn double experience points in the
online multiplayer mode, as well as a specially colored clan tag to denote the
player's VIP status. This edition of the game is only available for the Microsoft
Windows and Xbox 360 platforms.[28]

Downloadable content[edit]
On February 26, 2009, an update was made available to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation
3 versions, as well as the addition of a new multiplayer map, Makin Day. The update
included several bug fixes which removed glitches in several multiplayer maps and
player movements, and provided more information in the stats display.[29] The Makin
Day map was released for Microsoft Windows on February 6, 2009 in the downloadable
patch 1.2. Makin Day has a similar layout as the existing Makin map,[30] but
includes subtle changes such as daylight, reflected in the tide being out along the
shoreline as well as some reworked areas of the map.[30]

Screenshot of the gameplay in Zombie Verrckt

On March 18, 2009, Activision and Treyarch announced that downloadable content
(DLC) was under development for World at War, titled Map Pack 1. This first
installment of DLC was released on March 19, 2009 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox
360, while the Windows version received the DLC at a later date. The map pack
includes three new multiplayer maps and one new Nazi Zombies map, entitled "Zombie
Verrckt" (German: zombie crazy). The map is based on the multiplayer map Asylum,
in turn based on the asylum in the campaign mission Ring of Steel. The map includes
new weapons and power-ups intended to expand the experience. Players can turn on a
power generator that reunites both sides of the map and enables "Perk-a-Cola"
machines, which have been featured in every subsequent Nazi Zombies map.[31] The
new multiplayer map called "Nightfire" takes places at night in the streets of a
bombed-out area of Berlin. The "Knee Deep" map is in the jungle of Peleliu and
contains fortified huts and streams. "Station" is located in a ruined underground
train station in Berlin featuring subway cars and hidden passages.[32] Reports
stated that Map Pack 1 sold over 1 million copies in the first week of
availability, setting an Xbox Live record for the number of downloads in a week.
[33]

On April 30, 2009, Activision and Treyarch announced Map Pack 2,[34] which was
released on June 11.[35] Map Pack 2 contains an additional four multiplayer maps.
"Shi No Numa" (Japanese: "???" 'swamp of death') is a new map on the Nazi Zombies
co-op mode, set in a misty swamp-land surrounded by jungle. New features include
flaming hellhounds, the Wunderwaffe DG-2 weapon and ten new achievements/trophies.
The map also introduced four new playable characters who have appeared in several
subsequent Nazi Zombie maps: Tank Dempsey U.S.M.C, Nikolai Belinski of the Red
Army, Nazi Doctor Edward Richtofen and Takeo Masaki of the Japanese Imperial Army.
The multiplayer map "Banzai" is set in a jungle featuring a river bridge, villages,
a waterfall and hidden caves. The "Corrosion" map is set in a run-down train yard
in Russia, featuring broken pipelines and train cars. The "Sub Pens" map is located
in a bombed-out Japanese submarine base with heavy rain.[36]

On July 20, 2009, Activision and Treyarch announced Map Pack 3, which was released
August 6, 2009. This DLC also consists of three new multiplayer maps and a new Nazi
Zombies map. The three multiplayer maps are "Battery", which takes place on an
abandoned coastal artillery battery Pacific; "Breach", which is set in the
overcrowded streets of Berlin, Germany near the Brandenburg Gate; and "Revolution",
which is based on an industrialized city in Russia. The new Nazi Zombies map, "Der
Riese" which means "The Giant" in English, is based in a factory where "element
115" is being processed and used to build teleporters and other mysterious devices,
such as the "Pack-a-Punch Machine", which upgrades guns, such as the Wunderwaffe
DG-2. New weapons such as Monkey Bombs were also added. This map also introduced
the official backstory to Zombies mode, which is continued into Call of Duty: Black
Ops.[37]

All map packs were released for free on Microsoft Windows. The packs were paid DLC
for the Xbox 360 and PS3.[citation needed]

Other versions[edit]
Nintendo DS[edit]
Main article: Call of Duty: World at War (Nintendo DS)
Call of Duty: World at War was released for the Nintendo DS on November 11, 2008 in
North America,[38] and on November 14 in Europe.[39] It was published by Activision
and developed by n-Space, who used the same game engine as their previous title,
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.[40] The game's scenarios are also based on World
War II's Pacific theater and Eastern front with American, British and Soviet
campaigns.[38] Up to four players can be supported online with four different types
of game, as well as perks and rank-ups.[40] Compared to Modern Warfare, it has
improved in-level geometry, has more responsive sprints and crouches and 3D-modeled
guns instead of 2D sprites.[40] However the flamethrower, which is new to the game
series, is rendered with 2D sprites.[40] The framerate is just under 30 and has
lots of voice-over during the missions.[41] Players are able to defuse mines and
send Morse code with the touch screen, as well as using mortar rounds, an anti-air
gun from a battleship, parachuting and using mounted guns.[40] There is also a tank
mode which allows the player to turn the main gun and fire machine gun rounds at
the same time.[40]

PlayStation 2[edit]
Main article: Call of Duty: World at War Final Fronts
The PlayStation 2 version, titled Call of Duty: World at War: Final Fronts, differs
significantly from the main versions. Developed by Rebellion Developments,[42]
Final Fronts features 13 missions set near the end of World War II across three
different campaigns. Aside from the two campaigns in the Pacific and Eastern
Europe, Final Fronts also includes a third campaign involving the British advance
on the Rhine River. The missions range from infantry, infiltration, sniper, large-
scale assaults, night fighting, and tank assaults.[43]

The U.S. campaign follows Pvt. Miller and the squad from World at War, but here
Miller is of the 2nd Marines Division, instead of the 1st. The game includes his
missions from World at War. The Western Europe campaign is from the perspective of
Lucas Gibson, of the American 80th Infantry Division. His missions are in
Luxembourg and Austria. Most of the Europe campaign, the player controls Pvt. Tom
Sharpe of the British 6th Airborne. Final Fronts does not feature online
multiplayer or a Nazi Zombies mode. Like other versions, the game includes 2
flamethrower missions and a tank mission, however the latter is on-rails rather
than free roaming. The flamethrower in Final Fronts only fires on a small scale,
whereas the PlayStation 3 version allows the flamethrower to be used on a large
scale in more missions and it is highly visible where it is fired. The tank mission
is from the perspective of a tank gunner named Alex.[44]

Also, the melee attack is not a knife slash or stab like in the PS3/Xbox 360
versions, but simply a hit from the butt of the gun.[45]

iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad versions[edit]

Call of Duty: World at War Zombies was released for the iPhone and iPod Touch on
November 16, 2009 by Activision, Treyarch, and Ideaworks Game Studio. The game is
based on the Nazi Zombies mode in Call of Duty: World at War, and featured a
tutorial map and maps called Nacht der Untoten, Shi No Numa and Der Riese, with a
downloadable map named Zombie Verrckt. In 2010, an HD iPad version was released
with enhanced graphics and the Zombie Verrckt map free to play without buying, but
without the Shi No Numa and Der Riese maps.

Windows Mobile version[edit]

Call of Duty: World at War was released for the Windows Mobile. However, the game
features a run and gun genre similar to Commando from Capcom rather than a first-
person shooter, a different storyline, and a different set of characters. The game
was developed by Glu Mobile and published by Activision.[46]

Reception[edit]
Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator Score
GameRankings (X360) 85.57%[47]
(PS3) 85.11%[48]
(PC) 84.65%[49]
(Wii) 83.59%[50]
Metacritic (PS3) 85/100[51]
(X360) 84/100[52]
(PC) 83/100[53]
(Wii) 83/100[54]
Review scores
Publication Score
Game Informer 8.75/10[55]
GameSpot 8.5/10[56]
GameTrailers 8.7/10[57]
(Wii) 8.2/10[58]
IGN 9.2/10[60]
(Wii) 8.0/10[61]
Nintendo Power 8.0/10[59]
ONM 92%[62]
OXM (US) 7.5/10[63]
OXM (UK) 9/10[64]
PC Gamer (UK) 77%[65]
X-Play 4/5[66]
Critical response[edit]
Call of Duty: World at War has received generally positive reviews. Describing the
game as a whole, GameSpot stated that by returning to the World War II setting,
"World at War achieves greatness but falls short of excellence."[56] IGN concluded
that World at War was a "solid, confident shooter with plenty to offer the casual
and hardcore alike."[60] Overall, the Official Xbox Magazine described the game as
being more like an expansion pack in the Call of Duty series rather than a full
game.[63]

IGN applauded the developer Treyarch for its decision to stage World at War in the
Pacific theater of World War II. The addition of a co-op mode was also complimented
as helping to increase the game's replayability, and the multiplayer mode was
described as "definitely an area where World at War shines."[60] Some positive
points noted by GameSpot include the "well-acted dialogue" of the characters Sgt.
Roebuck and Sgt. Reznov, as well as the solid and fast-paced single player/co-op
campaign."[56]

IGN criticized that the scope of the campaign hurt the continuity of the plot, with
some missions taking place several years after others and disrupting the flow of
the narrative.[60] Official Xbox Magazine's main criticism was that Treyarch had
not expanded upon the success of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, but had instead
created a "play-it-safe sequel" that used elements of Call of Duty 4 but added
"nothing noteworthy of its own."[63] Other flaws pointed out by the reviewer
included the lack of excitement in the campaign storyline and the few differences
between the Pacific theater missions and European theater missions, stating "you
could just be marching through another European town with a lot more trees."[63]
GameSpot criticized the game's use of "well-worn source material" and "dj vu"
game mechanics, also implying its similarity to the Call of Duty series' other
games.[56] 1UP.com stated that the horror of the game is "almost too much at
times".[67]

GameSpot praised the darker, grittier portrayal of the World War II settings.[56]
1UP.com noted the significantly increased graphic violence and gore (even over the
M-rated Call of Duty 4) as a positive improvement in realism saying, "While enemies
died en masse in previous installments, dismemberment and gore were essentially
nonexistent. That's no longer the case here, legs are severed, men cry out in
agony as they reach for lost body parts, and gouts of blood fly as bullets pierce
flesh." and that "World at War portrays the horror of WWII more accurately than
ever before..."[67]

Sales[edit]
Call of Duty: World at War was the second best-selling game for November 2008 in
the United States, selling over 1.41 million units.[68] The Xbox 360 and
PlayStation 3 versions were the second and ninth best-selling game of December 2008
in the United States, selling in excess of 1.33 million and 533,000 copies
respectively.[69] The Xbox 360 version was the sixth best-selling game of 2008,
selling in excess of 2.75 million copies.[69] The Wii version ranked as the 19th
best-selling game and the seventh best-selling Wii game of December 2008 in the
United States.[70] It received particular interest in the United Kingdom, where it
doubled the amount of first-week sales compared to Modern Warfare on the PS3 and
Xbox 360.[71] It also became the third fastest-selling video game in the UK behind
Grand Theft Auto IV and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.[72] As of November 2013, the
game has sold 15.7 million copies.[73]